Associate
Dip Arch, MPhil, ARB, OASRS
London, UK
Inês Fontoura
Photograph by Frederic Aranda ©
Photograph by Hufton + Crow
Inês’ diverse portfolio includes the Central Bank of Iraq, Vauxhall Cross in London, and Morpheus Hotel at City of Dreams in Macau. With a versatile skillset that includes concept refinement, complex programme planning, and interior and façade packages delivery, her expertise extends to more intimate-scale projects that emphasises meticulous detailing and representation.
Prior to joining ZHA, Inês worked at architectural practices in Portugal, focusing on residential refurbishments, cultural projects, and exhibitions. Her projects have reflected how architecture can foster social cohesion and transform communities meaningfully.
Render by Hayes Davidson
Featured Projects
From a new headquarters on the sloping banks of the Tigris River in Baghdad, to a 3.2 million sq. ft. development above Hong Kong’s High Speed Rail West Kowloon Terminus, discover highlights of Inês' notable projects at ZHA.
Inês holds a Diploma in Architecture and a Master of Philosophy in Studies of Space and Dwelling in Architecture from Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade Técnica de Lisboa in Portugal. She also studied at Università Degli Studi di Roma ‘La Sapienza’ through the Erasmus Scholarship Programme.
Inês is deeply inspired by beauty and design, believing they enhance daily life. She finds comfort in spaces with natural light, warm materials, and thoughtful details such as textiles, flowers, and patterns. These elements bring her balance and inspire her creative approach to architecture and living.
Projects
Explore a selection of projects Inês has contributed to since joining ZHA.
Photograph by Julian Faulhaber
Education
Offices
KAPSARC is a non-profit institution for independent research into policies that contribute to the most effective use of energy to provide social well-being across the globe. KAPSARC develops policies and economic frameworks that reduce the environmental impact and overall costs of energy supply and enable practical technology-based solutions to use energy more efficiently.
Photograph by Virgile Simon Bertrand
Grand Theatre, Small Theatre, Art Museum
Culture
The new Culture & Arts Centre by ZHA incorporates a contemporary art museum (MICA), an 1,800-seat theatre with supporting facilities and a multipurpose hall. Its organic architectural language is defined by pedestrian routes that weave through the site to connect with neighbouring streets.
Photograph by Virgile Simon Bertrand
Hospitality
The world’s first free-form high-rise exoskeleton optimises the interiors by creating spaces that are uninterrupted by supporting walls or columns. Three horizontal vortices generate the voids through the building and define the hotel’s dramatic internal public spaces.
Photograph by Virgile Simon Bertrand
Tall Buildings
Offices
Developed on the world’s most valuable site purchased by Henderson Land, the 36-storey tower's design shelters new civic plazas enveloped by nature, creating an urban oasis in the centre of the city. Accommodating enhanced workplace flexibility, the building’s smart management system creates a contactless pathway for all occupants, eliminating all contact with communal surfaces.
Photograph by Heiko Stahl
Messehalle 3A
Mixed Use
Civic
NürnbergMesse is one of the world’s largest exhibition companies with a portfolio of over 120 national and international exhibitions and congresses that include 35,000 exhibitors and 1.5 million visitors who attend in their own, partner and guest events of the NürnbergMesse Group.
Render by Hayes Davidson
Mixed Use
Offices
Adjacent to the West Kowloon Cultural District, the 3.2 million sq. ft. development above Hong Kong’s High Speed Rail West Kowloon Terminus connects established and emerging neighbourhoods with a network of public gardens and landscaped plazas.
Courtesy of ZHA
Mixed Use
The design responds to Lambeth Council’s aspirations for a district centre for Vauxhall by creating a vibrant new public square adjacent to the busy rail, underground and bus interchange. The proposal also accommodates TfL’s existing plans to upgrade the traffic gyratory and bus station to provide greater accessibility and safety for all.
Render by DAMAC
Sales Launch January 2025 100% DD
Residential
Situated on the beach at Surfside, The Delmore’s design is defined by its location and environment. ZHA’s detailed analysis of the oceanfront site mapped fluctuations in solar radiation, temperature, humidity, prevailing winds, air quality, rainfall, in addition to the variable ground and sea conditions throughout every day of the year.
Courtesy of ZHA
Tall Buildings
Offices
Civic
Rising from the sloping banks of the Tigris River in Baghdad, the design for the new headquarters of the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) conveys the core values at the heart of the institution: Solidity, Stability and Sustainability.
Render by Specto-Digital
Culture
Heritage + Regeneration
Meaning ‘inheritance passed down through generations’, Asaan will be an institution dedicated to preserving and celebrating this rich heritage, in addition to promoting creativity and knowledge sharing.
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